Point-of-sale (POS) terminals are complex systems that can include multiple hardware peripherals and software applications. For example, a POS terminal may include a primary computer coupled to a display device, a stationary scanning mechanism, a handheld scanner, a card reader, and a printer, as well as multiple backend systems. Each of these hardware peripherals, as well as the software employed by the hardware peripherals, may be provided by different entities. Consequently, it can be difficult to ensure that the POS terminal will work seamlessly, with few or no errors.
One hardware peripheral that can be difficult to test is a magnetic card reader. Magnetic card readers include read heads positioned within a channel. The read heads detect, and read information from, magnetic stripes on cards, such as credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, and the like. The positioning of the read heads within the channel can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, and also within magnetic card readers produced by a single manufacturer based on manufacturing tolerances. If the height of the read heads within the channel does not align with the positioning of the magnetic stripe on the card, the magnetic card reader may have difficulty reading the magnetic stripe. In the event of a misread or a failed read during a real (i.e., “live”) transaction, a customer can swipe his or her card again. Because a human is swiping the card in a real transaction, it is unlikely that the card will be swiped in exactly the same manner that resulted in the misread or failed read, and the magnetic card reader is likely to eventually read the card. Unfortunately, in an automated testing environment, the card will likely be swiped in the same manner every time. Because of this consistency with an automated system, a misread or failed read is unlikely to be corrected with subsequent swipes. Consequently, a need exists for a system that can compensate for variances in read head position of magnetic card readers for automated testing systems.
Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. Certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. The terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.